Following in the footsteps of some of rap’s greatest lyricists is 14-year-old-rapper, MC Abdul– the young spitter who is bound to take you on a veracious lyrical journey. He speaks powerfully, and dexterously, through technical yet inexplicably raw bars, MC Abdul weaves a hard-hitting reality— depicting the unimaginable hardships of living in an occupied Palestine. One that many need to hear, see, and feel.
Although he goes by MC Abdul, the young rapper was born Abdulrahman Al-Shantii in 2008 in Gaza to an unjust reality constantly facing varying degrees of dehumanization. Wise beyond his years, the artist picked up a pen and paper to share a message of peace, love, and unity, despite the inconceivable circumstances of violence, loss, and ongoing vile mass killings under the occupation of Israel.
Heavily influenced by Eminem, MC Abdul decided to follow in his idol’s footsteps and had his dad video-tape a clip of him spitting some bars just outside his school. From there, the video went viral, and MC Abdul hasn’t stopped since. Lyrically atuning himself to some of his favorite instrumentals, the rising star continues to prove to the world that hip-hop can still serve as a tool for change.
The talented lyricist made waves with his debut single Palestine, which was released amidst a wave of rising conflict in Sheikh Jarrah. The track provided a sharpshooting tale of the atrocities occurring around him over the beats of Eminem’s Cleanin’ Out My Closet.
Shortly after, he released another track titled What is it Worth?, questioning the plight of Palestinians living under the bombardment of the Israeli army, leaving generations of Palestinans growing up amidst the devastation of their homeland. “What is it worth? Living my life under siege, I pray for the day I am free,” he sings over a dark beat.
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MC Abdul’s lyrical vigor is reminiscent of hip-hop’s glory days, when storytelling and shifty fictions were the precedence. He seems to be following in the footsteps of Tupac, Nas, Lupe Fiasco, and Black Star– rappers that never failed to create multigenerational works of art reflecting trying times.
The 14-year-old is now signed to Lebanese-Canadian Sal’s renowned XO Record label and just released his latest track It’s All Good, another undisputedly powerful and personal track voicing sentiments of the lack of love, his childhood being stripped away from him, and the lack of interference and aid whilst weaving in threads of reassurance to himself as he says “it’s all good, habibi it’s all good.”
In an interview with Variety in 2020, the-then-pre-teen explained, “My message is about peace. Not the political side of it — I’m just 11 years old, I don’t understand what politics is — the thing I’m trying to say is that I want the children of the world to live in peace and harmony and I want to be the voice of the children in Palestine.”
